It would not be a year in gaming without a new Call of Duty, and the upcoming entry in the popular first-person shooter franchise is Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, coming from Treyarch and Raven Software. The developers were nice enough to let PS4 owners try out the multiplayer alpha build for two days recently.
In players’ time with the game, numerous things stood out as both new for the series and major changes from 2019’s Modern Warfare, which itself is an especially beloved entry. Anything could change prior to release or even before upcoming beta tests, but the current state of the game still looks promising.
10 Heavier Movement
Modern Warfare signaled a grounded return to form for the series after more futuristic endeavors. Even with this in mind, movement in Black Ops Cold War feels even heavier than before. Sprinting and general walking speed is slower. It is not necessarily a bad thing, and maybe even preferred by some, but those hoping for faster combat should temper their expectations.
9 No Mounting
This is a strange exclusion, but as of now mounting cover or walls is completely impossible. The mechanic helped one feel more in touch with the environments in Modern Warfare, so its absence is a big question mark. While some may have felt it made camping too easy, the drawback of being vulnerable from flanks or the back evens out the increased accuracy. It also helped out significantly in the prior game’s single-player.
8 Proximity Mines
Field upgrades make a return in this entry and several new ones are dropped into the mix. Proximity mines are a particularly interesting field upgrade, and for more reasons than the lack of logic behind one magically materializing in the inventory after a cool down. Crouching allows safe passage over them, and their detonation time is notable, making one wonder if the speed of explosion will be increased before release.
7 Levels Are Noticeably Open
This does not only apply to the Combined Arms maps, where the inclusion of vehicles only make the open areas logical; even the regular six on six matches took place in large, open maps.
Levels like Miami, despite the numerous corridors, feature large open streets in the middle. Considering the slower movement, running through these feels like certain death. These are only a few maps among many more to be in the final product, so smaller levels might still get some love in the end.
6 Sniping Is More Prevalent
Considering the more fast-paced, in-your-face action of the series, sniping has always taken somewhat of a backseat. With the increased focus on larger levels, sharpshooting from long range with a scope seems to have made a comeback. Verticality is present in most of the maps of the alpha, with vantage points abundant from these high perches. Plant a Claymore or Proximity Mine and start picking off targets.
5 Health Bars
This is a first for the series, and somewhat puzzling considering how quickly one dies in the multiplayer frenzy. All enemies have health bars displaying how much damage the bullets do and how much health remains. While seemingly unnecessary, it does feel nice. The player more directly sees how much firepower a particular gun holds, and how badly they harmed an opponent.
4 Impressive Aesthetic Variety
Level layout is one thing, but art design and aesthetic is a whole other question when making maps. Each level in the alpha greatly stands out from the other in terms of style. Some styles are expected in a military shooter such as this, but then maps like Miami bring a neon glow to the whole series, almost like next year’s entry is going to be Call of Duty: Miami Vice.
3 Map Voting
Also returning from earlier games is the map voting system. While choice is nice, this system will also mean particular fan favorites will get more love than others.
One wants to play their favorite maps over and over, but leaving less popular levels in the dust makes for less variety in the playlist. Few people complain about Modern Warfare‘s lack of map voting, after all. It’ll be interesting to see how this voting system plays out when new maps are added in the full game.
2 No Doors
Modern Warfare‘s maps were populated with doors everywhere and they played an integral part in the strategy. The alpha lacks doors entirely, making one think they will also be absent from the full game. Not having to think about what is on the other side of a closed door will be nice, but it will also prevent one from setting up satisfying ambushes. It also changes the dynamic of defending points in domination and other similar modes.
1 Combined Arms Still Feels Big
While a smaller player count than Ground War from Modern Warfare, the Combined Arms maps in the alpha still feel big and frantic. There were not as many epic ten-versus-ten shootouts like one would often find in Quarry from last year’s game, but the dynamic between boots on the ground combat and vehicles still create some fun and exhilarating moments. Unless they are an expert, one should expect to die a lot in this mode.
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